Got hit on the way to work

[damark115]

Rode to work this morning. Stopped on a small hill at a stop light. Woman in front of me is looking for something on her floor or seat. All of a sudden her car starts rolling back at me. First reaction is to scream and beep. (wrong move). Next I moved a little forward and left just in time to have her crash into my right crash bar and peg. Knocked me softly over onto my left crashbar. I am laying there yelling at her to pull forward. All the noise just confused her. She finally pulled forward and I stood the bike up and pulled up on the curb next to her. Little thing about 20 years old. Cop was two cars back. Total damage- a rotated highway peg. Her car has a gouge from the bumper forward about 18" up her driverside. Oh yeah, A new pair of boxers for me.
From now on I will be as far left or right as possible to avoid any further episodes. I usually leave 10 feet thinking the car may be a stick shift. Glad I was in gear to at least get partially clear.
Cop took her info in case but overall the apology was enough. She was pretty shook up.
Could have been a lot worse.

[racinchef]

Glad to hear that you weren't hurt except for those soiled boxers. Hopefully you can get the bike fixed easily.

[billz410]

Glad to hear you're OK. Guess a guy isn't even safe when he's standing still!

[rlfaubion]

Nomads can take a pretty good hit. Yes, I know

[Cajunrider]

Man, that was close! Glad you came out OK without injury or damage. She'll remember this one for a little while anyway....

[caddman11]

Glad to see your OK---maybe it's time for an air horn---that always seems to get their attention.

I almost got it this past Saturday myself. I was on a through street and a guy was at a stop sign on the right. I looked him and he looked me right in the eye as he pulled out in front of me. I really don't understand when they pull out in front of you while looking right at you. Always drive like they want you dead.

[phenrichs]

I always pull to the left so that (at least in my mind) my headlight should be visible in their side mirror. I guess I feel more visible on the left because I think that is the side that most drivers pay more attention to. I also stay back a ways because many automatic transmissions will creep also.

[bear]

All humans pull boneheaded stunts and there is no real reason except that we're human. I used to get upset when people cut me off, or didn't see me, etc. Then with age, I realized that at times I've been just as boneheaded. I'm glad you came out ok with this incident and I know just how that young lady feels. I've been in 3 car accidents where I've been stopped at a traffic signal and been hit from behind.

The first by a cab-over Pete that the driver said he was daydreaming and pushed me through an intersection.

The second time I was stopped behind several cars and a guy just ran right into me; seems he was distracted by a girl in shorts walking on the sidewalk( she was quite an eyeful).

The third time I was stopped and a driver just backed out of a parking space right into my passenger door.

Glad you're safe. I think we're all targets no matter what you drive.

[schoeney]

Glad you and the bike are OK.

[strobe]

Glad you were not hurt and there was minimal damage to the bike, close calls always wake us all up to things we can do differently as well.

[pirate]

That is truly a scary feeling when you know something like that is going to happen and you do the best you can to avoid it. Glad to hear you're ok.

[cactusjack]

A Stebel air horn might have come in handy here. I am glad you weren't hurt.

[desertdog]

I have asked the following question on a number of different forums regarding eye contact and near misses, and have not gotten any responses, so would be interested in hearing any other thoughts on this:

How many times when you thought you made eye contact with a driver in a cage and they still did something stupid, were you wearing eye protection, ie sun glasses, helmut visor down, or other type of eye protection ??

If you were wearing eye protection, while you would think you were making eye contact with the driver he is not making eye contact back, and so may not acknowledge your presence.

Its funny how making actual eye contact seems to get an acknowlegement from others, while not making eye contact allows them to dismiss you.

[chainsaw]

Glad your alright and the bike isn't to bad. Sounds like her car got the worst of it. She must have been good looking if you just accepted her apology. ha

[ringadingh]

Glad to hear its minimal damage and everyone is ok.

[damark115]

I think what we see as eye contact may actually be the other guy looking right thru us. Kinda like talking to my 14 year old. They may not even see us.

As far as an air horn, My yelling and beeping was enough to distract her / scare her so she got confused and was looking around while rolling back. Seems like slow motion as I think about it. My thoughts after were that if I just moved instead of yelling, she may have just hit the brakes.
An air horn would have probably scared the crap out of her more. Not everyone has the reflexes we would like them to have. Glad the cop was there to take her info, my back is getting stiff, I know I lifted the bike while still standing over it. Didn't think, came up damn easy. Adrenaline rush.

[desertdog]

Forgot to add in my first message, Glad you are ok and the bike is ok also. It could have been alot worse.

[jd01]

Glad you made out alright, unscathed. Only one more word . . . . . . Stebel!

[dogdoc]

Thx God for no injuries. moral of the story stop way BACK so we can make a get away if needed and of course Stebel!

[dandolfn]

A Stebel air horn might have come in handy here.

Mine came in handy yesterday. Riding thru a small town when some guy parked along the side of the road decided that it was a good time to pull out on to the road.

Unfortunately, that was just at the time I was starting to pass him.

A blast from the Stebel froze him in his tracks and saved me from getting hit.

[roadman]

Good to here your ok :)

[landman]

with the new riding season upon us let's all be carefull out there.

[cactusjack]

A Stebel air horn might have come in handy here.

Mine came in handy yesterday. Riding thru a small town when some guy parked along the side of the road decided that it was a good time to pull out on to the road.

Unfortunately, that was just at the time I was starting to pass him.

A blast from the Stebel froze him in his tracks and saved me from getting hit.



I was going back to the office after lunch today and the Honda CRV in the lane to my right just came right over on top of me. I had to swerve and hit the brakes or we would have swapped paint. Unfortunately, I was in my car so I didn't have the Stebel horn to express my extreme displeasure at his abrupt and careless action.

[redtail]

Man I'm glad you're ok. Looking into the eyes to make eye contact seems to be a good measure, but better still, watch that front wheel. Your eye will pick up movement regaurdless if they make eye contact or not. They are out to get us. You can never read or educate yourself enough on safety. May God keep us safe.

[markusmaximus]

I have asked the following question on a number of different forums regarding eye contact and near misses, and have not gotten any responses, so would be interested in hearing any other thoughts on this:

How many times when you thought you made eye contact with a driver in a cage and they still did something stupid, were you wearing eye protection, ie sun glasses, helmut visor down, or other type of eye protection ??

If you were wearing eye protection, while you would think you were making eye contact with the driver he is not making eye contact back, and so may not acknowledge your presence.

Its funny how making actual eye contact seems to get an acknowlegement from others, while not making eye contact allows them to dismiss you.

Actually I make a point not to make eye contact. I look at the car grill or front tires to predict what they might do.

[dennisbailey]

Holy Crap!!! Oh, you did that already. A guy has to know when to hold on and when to bail off. Distance is our friend. Hope she is insured. Amen to the far left side and far enough behind for those "oh #$@&" moments. Get back on the horse as quick as you can.

[damark115]

Thank you all for the comments and pointers.
Rode home from work today with much more awareness of everything.
Still very cautious at red lights even on flat land.

Thanks again
Mark

[ezmoney]

Glad to hear you are ok, ...................... was she cute?

[jamiep24]

The good thing about it is you're ok and you can replace those boxers.

[paul]

Happy to hear you survived with minimal damage, you and the bike. Just goes to show, some wierd stuff is always possible. Thanks for the lesson.

[dougster]

Thx God for no injuries. moral of the story stop way BACK so we can make a get away if needed

and always have an exit strategy while sitting in traffic.

[Idaho]

It always interests me when someone claims they "made eye contact." Really? With a person anwhere from 30 to 60 or more feet away you can tell that they are looking right into your eyes rather than just past you?

I don't think so.

The only way to know if you have made eye contact is to wave and have them wave back.

NEVER assume that you have eye contact with another driver unless you have your face in his driver side window.

[sarge1057]

I have asked the following question on a number of different forums regarding eye contact and near misses, and have not gotten any responses, so would be interested in hearing any other thoughts on this:

How many times when you thought you made eye contact with a driver in a cage and they still did something stupid, were you wearing eye protection, ie sun glasses, helmut visor down, or other type of eye protection ??

If you were wearing eye protection, while you would think you were making eye contact with the driver he is not making eye contact back, and so may not acknowledge your presence.

Its funny how making actual eye contact seems to get an acknowlegement from others, while not making eye contact allows them to dismiss you.

Glad that you survived the mishap . As for the eye protection and eye contact are you saying that if your waring eye protection that the driver of the cage can,t see our eyes. I would agree with this , and that at any distance you would need some other gesture to acknowledge your existence.

[desertdog]

As for the eye protection and eye contact are you saying that if your waring eye protection that the driver of the cage can,t see our eyes. I would agree with this , and that at any distance you would need some other gesture to acknowledge your existence.


That is my point. I forget that I have on sunglasses when I ride, and when I get up along side a car, they can look at me but not see my eyes, but I see theirs.

I do not trust that any one will see me now days, it seems most people have a cell tucked up to their ear, or are busy texting.
Scary.